Various types of beverages are dispensed from a bar or counter mounted font. In the art, “font” is often used interchangeably with the terms “tower” or “tower font”. One type of font is a form of a metallic tower usually made of stainless steel or cast alloy such as brass. A beverage pipe extends through inside of the tower and has one end fixed to a wall of the tower. A tap or valve is attached to the tower in fluid communication with the fixed end of the beverage pipe. When the beverage pipe is plumbed to a supply of beverage and upon operation of the valve or tap, beverage is dispensed from the font. Temperature control of the beverage may be affected prior to it reaching the tower. Irrespective, it is known to also supply heat exchanger fluid to the inside of the tower to affect heat exchange with the beverage passing through the beverage pipe within the tower. The heat exchange can result in either heating or cooling of the beverage. Though cooling of the beverage is perhaps the most common. When the heat exchanger fluid is for the purpose of cooling the beverage this may have the added effect of causing condensation or indeed a layer of ice to form on the outside of the tower. In relation to the drinking of beer, this is seen as important from a marketing perspective in adding to the theatre of the beer drinking experience.
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Inc. markets an organoleptic hop transducer module under the brand name Randall the Enamel Animal. The transducer module is a double-chamber filter that is connected to a beer tap and field with flavour enhancing ingredients. This system allows a user to run draught beer through the chambers which may be filled with ingredients such as whole leaf hops, spices, herbs and fruit. The idea is for the alcohol in the beer to transfer the flavour from the ingredients into the beer.
Other devices known as beer infusers are also available which comprise for example a clear glass or plastic tube for holding flavour enhancing material in through which beer passes.
The above references to the background art do not constitute as an admission that the art forms a part of the common general knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art. Further, the above references are not intended to limit the application of the beverage dispenser as disclosed herein.